Welcome to the OrientationWebinar for Chapter Councilors

• To set up audio, follow the instructions either in your invitation letter or your reminder letter.

• Attendees, no need to dial into the speakers' teleconference, you can listen to this session via your computer's speakers or headset and submit all questions via a chat panel. All attendees will remain muted throughout the event. So make sure speaker volume is turned on.

• In the lower left-hand side of the screen is the chat room. Directly above the speaker’s photo is an icon of a raised hand. If you want to ask a question during the presentations, please indicate this by “raising your hand” (click on the raise-your-hand icon). However, we prefer chat (see the box to your left) and if you could hold questions until the question-and-answer period (the last 15 minutes or so of the Webinar) that would be the most efficient way for us to answer you. You will not need to “raise your hand” during the question-and-answer period. Just type in your question or comments in the chat room.

Orientation Webinar forChapter Councilors

December 14, 2011

Provided byChapter Relations Committee

Chapter Relations Office

Presenters:

Gina Persichini, Idaho Chapter Councilor

Joseph Eagan, former ALA Executive Board Member and former Maryland Chapter Councilor

Council, Board & Divisions

• The Council is the governing body of ALA and determines ALA policies.

• The Executive Board acts for Council in the administration of established policies and programs and manages, within this context, the affairs of the Association.

• Council delegates to the ALA divisions the authority to plan and carry out programs and activities within policies established by Council.

ALA Council Duties• Determine policies, approve the budgetary ceiling and provide overall

direction for ALA.

• Receive, review and act on reports, action items and/or resolutions from committees, the ALA Officers, the ALA Executive Board, the membership, etc.

• Originate - and act on - all proposed amendments to the ALA Constitution and Bylaws before submittal to the membership for vote.

• Authorize changes, additions, and deletions in the ALA Policy Manual upon the recommendation of the Policy Monitoring Committee.

• Elect fellow Councilors to be At-Large Members of the ALA Executive Board and members of the ALA Committee on Committees.

• Establish dues for chapter, organization and corporate ALA members upon the recommendation of the Executive Board. Refer personal dues increase proposals to membership for vote

Council Secretariat’s Welcome Letter

• Every new Councilor receives a welcome letter via e-mail from Lois Ann Gregory-Wood, the Council Secretariat.

• This letter provides information about:

– Meeting registration and VIP housing – Council make-up, roles, duties, documents & meeting schedules

– Parliamentary procedures, Council rules– Tips on effective participation– Council Forums– Use of the Council suite for meetings

• Every new Councilor receives a welcome letter via e-mail from Lois Ann Gregory-Wood, the Council Secretariat, lgregory@ala.org

• This letter provides information about:

– Meeting registration and VIP housing – Council make-up, roles, duties, documents & meeting schedules

– Parliamentary procedures, Council rules– Tips on effective participation– Council Forums– Use of the Council suite for meetings

Council Secretariat’s Welcome Letter

• This letter is found at ALA Chapter Councilors (http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/affiliates/chapters/chaptercouncilor/chaptercouncilor.cfm)*

• Along with links to additional related resources:– Councilor e-list and archives, – Revised Councilor duties, and– Instructions about ALA Connect– * The quickest way to find all information about

Chapters and Chapter Councilors is by going directly to http://www.ala.org/cro; the site is easily navigable!

Council Make-Up

• There are currently 186 Council members: 100 Councilors-at-Large, 53 Chapter Councilors, 11 Division Councilors, 12 Executive Board members and 10 Round Table Councilors.  All Councilors must be ALA personal members.

• The officers of Council are the ALA president, the ALA president-elect and the ALA executive director.

• ALA Councilors also serve concurrently as members of the ALA-Allied Professional Association [ALA-APA] Council. 

ALA-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA)

  • The ALA Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) was created by

the ALA Council to:

1) Enable the certification of individuals in specializations other than the initial professional degree

2) Provide direct support of comparable worth and pay equity initiatives and other activities designed to improve the salaries and status of librarians and library workers

• ALA and ALA-APA are separate, independent legal organizations but are tied together by interlocked governing bodies. ALA-APA is governed by the ALA-APA Council, whose members concurrently serve on the ALA Council. ALA-APA is managed by a Board of Directors, whose members concurrently serve on the ALA Executive Board. The ALA-APA has no members.

ALA Structure

Communication

• Chapter Councilors are placed on four ALA e-lists:

– ALA Councilors (ALACOUN)– ALA Chapter Councilors (CHAPCOUN) – Chapter Leaders (ALACRO-L)– ALA-Allied Professional Association Council (ALA-

APA).

• Most communication from the Chapter Relations Office is via e-mail on ALACRO-L, CHAPCOUN or to your personal e-mail.

• Not subscribed? Contact Don Wood, Chapter Relations Office.

ALA Connect

• Another method of communication is ALA Connect, a virtual, collaborative, online workspace for ALA members

• Every ALA group is assigned a space in ALA Connect, including Chapter Councilors

• Please access and use ALA Connect to enhance your effectiveness as a Chapter Councilor

• http://connect.ala.org/

The Next Slide Begins the Councilors’ Schedule: But Which Events Should I Attend?

• “A”: Council members are expected to attend. If they cannot attend, they must notify Lois Ann Gregory-Wood.

• “B”: Council members will find this meeting  informative and  helpful, but attendance is not mandatory.

• “C”: As information. No official Council presence is needed.

2012 Midwinter Schedule Saturday, January 21

8:00-10:00 a.m. Council Orientation Session, Omni Dallas B (B)

9:00-10:00 a.m. Chapter Councilor Orientation, Omni Hotel, South Side 1 (B)

11:00a.m.-Noon ALA Presidential Candidates Forum, Dallas Convention Center, C2-C4 (A) (CRC urges Councilors to attend since candidates will not be presenting at the CRC meetings this MW)

1:30-3:30 p.m. Chapter Relations Committee I, Dallas Convention Center, C140 (B)

9:00-10:00 p.m. Council Reception, Omni Katy Trail Room (B)                                                                                  

                                    

Sunday, January 22

9:00-10:00 a.m. ALA Council/Executive Board/Membership Information Session, Dallas Convention

Center, Ballroom C2-C4 (A)

10:15-11:00 a.m. ALA-APA Information & Council, Dallas Convention Center, Ballroom C2-C4 (A)

11:15 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ALA Council I, Dallas Convention Center, Ballroom C2-C4 (A)

3:00-5:00 p.m. ALA President’s Program, Dallas Convention Center, Theater (C)

5:30-7:00 p.m. ALA President’s Program Reception, Dallas Public Library, 1515 Young Street (C)

8:30-10:00 p.m. Council Forum I, Omni Hotel, Cedars (B)

Monday, January 23

10 a.m.-12:15 p.m. ALA Council II, Dallas Convention Center, Ballroom C2-C4 (A)

12:30-1:30 p.m. Executive Board Candidates Forum, Dallas Convention Center, Ballroom

C2-C4 (B)

1:30-3:30 p.m. Chapter Relations Committee II, Dallas Convention Center, C140 (B)

4:00-5:30 p.m. Chapter Councilors Forum, Omni Hotel, Dallas C (A)

8:30-10:00 p.m. Council Forum II, Omni Hotel, Arts District 4 (B)

Tuesday, January 24

8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ALA Council III, Dallas Convention Center, Ballroom C2-C4 (A)

You can bring your luggage to the Council III meeting and leave for the airport from this meeting. Continental breakfast is served in the hall prior to this meeting for your convenience.

VIP Housing for Councilors

• Register for the meeting or conference prior to booking your VIP housing.

• A block of rooms at ALA hotels is specially reserved for Councilors.

• Please contact ALA Conference Services if you have any

questions about VIP housing, or contact Lois Ann Gregory-Wood at lgregory@ala.org.

Council Suite

• A suite is reserved for the exclusive use of Councilors in one of the Headquarters hotels to provide meeting space for Councilors.

• The suite is available from Friday afternoon until Monday evening of the Midwinter Meeting.  To reserve the suite for a meeting, please contact Nann Blaine Hilyard, Chair, Council Orientation Committee, nbhilyard@zblibrary.org.

• An e-mail reminder will go out on ALACOUN before Conference and a sign-up sheet will be available at all ALA and ALA-APA Council Sessions.

What to Bring to Council Sessions?

• Laptop (WiFi available)• Council documents downloaded/organized• Parliamentary Procedures - Sturgis• 3-hole notebook for Council documents

• Ink pens, highlighter pens• Paper clips• Writing paper• “Post-It” pads• Business cards• Snacks• Beverages

Council Meetings: The Council Room

• The Council hall is arranged in classroom fashion. The ALA president, president-elect, parliamentarian, executive director and one staff person are seated on a raised platform at the front of the room.

• Councilors are required to sit in reserved seating in the front of the room for voting purposes. There is no pre-assigned seating within this area; reserved seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Seating for observers is located in the back of the room. 

• The room is equipped with two overhead screens, eight floor microphones, a captionist for the hearing impaired two projectionists and recycling bins. WiFi available.

• The Council hall is very large. It can be warm or cold, depending on conditions and your tolerance of temperature swings; dress accordingly.

Council Room

• Laptops users may use the electrical plugs in the designated areas in front of the room. WiFi available.

• Free coffee, tea and water are available. There are rest breaks for all Council meetings scheduled for two hours or more.

• Councilors may stand up to stretch or walk around during an ongoing debate, but you must vote within the area reserved for Councilors.

• If you have any further questions, please contact Nann Blaine Hilyard, Council Orientation Committee Chair, nbhilyard@zblibrary.org or Lois Ann Gregory-Wood (lgregory@ala.org) or 1-312-280-3204.

Council Documents

• Paper copies of Council Documents or Resolutions (numbered with a CD#_ designation) under discussion are made available for all Councilors on the document pick-up table in the Council room.

• Each Councilor is provided with their own folder (secured in the Council room) in which to store documents and reports between or during Council sessions.

• With the advent of wireless access and ALAConnect, many Councilors have gone green and work with electronic versions of documents and handouts.

Parliamentary Procedure

• The latest edition of the Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure by Alice Sturgis is ALA’s official parliamentary authority. You may pick up a copy at the Council Secretariat’s Tables in the ALA Office Area of the Dallas Convention Center, Hall C, Tables 13-14, beginning Friday, Jan. 20. Chapter Relations Office (CRO) is at Table 27.

• Eli Mina, the ALA parliamentarian, will explain basic parliamentary procedure at the Council Orientation Session, Saturday, January 21, 8:00-10:00 am.

• The rules outlined in the welcome letter govern the conduct of all Council meeting. Any rule may be suspended by general consent if there is no objection or by a two-thirds vote of the Council. A copy of the rules will be provided at Council Orientation.

Speaking/Commenting• Councilors seeking permission to address the Council should go to a

numbered microphone, wait for recognition by the presiding officer, and then give proper identification (e.g., “Gina Persichini, Idaho Chapter Councilor”).

• Any ALA member may speak at the Council/Executive Board/Membership Information Meeting.

• Non-Councilors seeking permission to speak to Council should go to a numbered microphone, wait for recognition by the presiding officer, then give their name and indicate why they would like to speak. The presiding officer will ask the Council if it would allow a non-Councilor to speak.

• As necessary, the presiding officer may call upon an ALA staff member or an ALA or Council committee chair/member to share information about a particular issue with Council.

How to Vote

• When voting on a motion or resolution, the presiding officer will call for a hand vote on the matter. Councilors will also be asked to mark their tally sheets, using the descriptor projected onto the screens in the front of the room.

• When the vote appears too close to call, Councilors may be asked to stand so that a count of yeas and nays may be taken.

Elections by Council

• Councilors vote for the members of three ALA bodies from among their members:• The At-Large Members of the ALA Executive Board• The four members of the ALA Committee on Committees• The Council representatives on the ALA Planning and Budget

Assembly

• Voting is done by secret paper ballot.

• A month or so before MW and AC, there is usually a request for volunteers for the Tellers Committee. These volunteers count the votes from those private ballots. The Tellers Committee is a good way to get more involved and get to know others on Council.

Resolutions

• A copy of Guidelines for Preparation of Resolutions for Council will be available at the Resolutions Committee table (Hall C, Table 16) in the onsite ALA Office Area.  The chair of the Council Committee on Resolutions is: Larry Romans, larry.romans@vanderbilt.edu.

• Council resolutions may be submitted in paper or electronic format to the Resolutions Committee chair. 

Resolutions

Guidelines for Preparation of ALA Resolutions:

• No resolutions, except those from ALA committees, may be accepted for inclusion on the agenda until reviewed by the Council Resolutions Committee.

• All resolutions - except memorial resolutions, tributes, testimonials and resolutions from Membership Meetings - must be submitted by a voting member of Council 24 hours prior to presentation to Council

to allow time for reproduction and distribution. 

Mentoring

• If you need a mentor, contact the Council Orientation Committee or use Mentor Connect.

• Mentor Connect is an online tool that augments the formal programs that are sponsored by various ALA offices and divisions.

Council Secretariat

• Lois Ann Gregory-Wood, ALA Council Secretariat

American Library Association

50 E. Huron Street

Chicago, IL 60611

lgregory@ala.org

1/800-545-2433, ext. 3204, or 1-312-280-3204

• For assistance, contact Lois Ann or Nann Blaine Hilyard, Council Orientation Committee chair, nbhilyard@zblibrary.org

Communicating Information to your Chapter

What Should Be Shared? • Action items (motions, resolutions, etc.) and decisions

made

• Initiatives benefiting libraries directly (training, advocacy, etc.)

• Legislative updates

• Anything that might be of interest to local libraries

Communication Ideas

• Summary reports delivered in electronic or paper formats or in person at Chapter meetings

• Blog updates • Twitter updates• Your Chapter’s Facebook page• Newsletter articles• E-mail updates to local mailing lists • ALA MW on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/alamw• Midwinter Hashtag for your own Twitter: #alamw12

• (Thinking ahead! Annual Conference Hashtag is #ala12)

Sources of Information • ALA Executive Director Report

• “What’s Happening” e-mail from Mary Ghikas

• Council reports from officers and committees

• ALA Washington Office update

• ALA Council and Board information session

• ALA-APA update and information session

Orientation Webinarfor Chapter Councilors

Questions and Answers

When you’re in the Dallas Convention Center, be sure to stop by Chapter Relations Office (CRO) at Table 27 to

pick up your Chapter Councilor ribbon!